Calhoun County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Rockwell City, Lake City and Manson
Calhoun County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Calhoun County is home to Rockwell City, Lake City, Manson and Pomeroy. Construction employs 108, up 35.0% since 2019. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 2.2% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,741 jobs in 2025, down 3.0% from 2019. MidAmerican Energy Co is the largest utility serving Calhoun County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.01¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.77¢ median for Iowa utilities.
Cities and towns in Calhoun County
Calhoun County is home to Rockwell City, Lake City, Manson and Pomeroy.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Twin Lakes.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Calhoun County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,895 | 9,562 | ▼ 3.4% | 76th of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,827 | 2,741 | ▼ 3.0% | 55th of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,680 | $50,275 | ▲ 33.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 80 | 108 | ▲ 35.0% | 12th of 81 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.2% | 3.0% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
9,562 people live here, down 3.4% since 2020.
Who powers Calhoun County
Utilities with service territory in Calhoun County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MidAmerican Energy Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 632,436 | 11.01¢ | 18% |
| Midland Power Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,939 | 13.60¢ | 12% |
| Calhoun County Elec Coop Assn | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Farnhamville - (IA) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Calhoun County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Calhoun County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,741 | $50,275 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 108 | $56,172 | 0.74 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Calhoun County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Calhoun County. Iowa has 31 local measures on record statewide.
Calhoun County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Calhoun County, Webster County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County | 9,562 | ▼ 3.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Buena Vista County | 20,449 | ▼ 6.8% | 374 MW | — | — | — |
| Carroll County | 20,303 | ▼ 4.6% | 298 MW | — | — | — |
| Greene County | 8,658 | ▼ 6.1% | 74 MW | — | — | — |
| Pocahontas County | 6,819 | ▼ 22.1% | 378 MW | — | — | — |
| Sac County | 9,525 | ▼ 1.2% | 211 MW | — | — | — |
| Webster County | 36,838 | ▼ 4.9% | 380 MW | — | — | — |
More of Iowa
Calhoun County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Calhoun County, Iowa?
5 utilities have service territory in Calhoun County in the EIA-861 2024 report: MidAmerican Energy Co, Midland Power Coop, Calhoun County Elec Coop Assn, City of Farnhamville - (IA). The largest, MidAmerican Energy Co, charged residential customers 11.01¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Calhoun County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Calhoun County.
Is Calhoun County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,741 jobs in 2025 against 2,827 in 2019 (-3.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 80 to 108.
Does Calhoun County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Calhoun County. Iowa has 31 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.